Wilmington Public Works Garage Burns Down

April 05, 1996|By Julie Deardorff, Tribune Staff Writer.

Wilmington Mayor Jerry Hill was taking out the garbage late Wednesday night when he heard the screaming sirens. Fifteen minutes later, he watched the city's public works garage burn to the ground, causing an estimated $1 million in damage to the building and the equipment inside.

The blaze was the work of arsonists, according to Jerry Singer, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which conducted a joint investigation with the Wilmington Police Department and the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office. But Singer would give no other details while the investigation continued.

The completely torched building contained about 95 percent of Wilmington's village equipment, including dump trucks, lawn tractors, backhoes and a street sweeper. Small items such as water clamps, jackhammers and tools also were destroyed.

According to a statement issued by Wilmington Police Chief Cora Beem, the fire began in a small open area near the Tire Barn, a tire store next to the Wilmington City Garage.

Used tires from the Tire Barn were placed against the wall and ignited, the memo said. A strong southeast wind helped push the fire toward several other businesses in the 600 block of West Baltimore Street, authorities said.

After three hours of sleep, Hill called a special City Council meeting on Thursday morning and was given permission to do whatever is necessary to keep the Public Works Department functioning. In the short term, the department will borrow and rent items from neighboring communities.

"If a water line breaks, we have to have machines and tools available," Hill said. "We want to be prepared for emergencies, especially with the holiday weekend."

It was the second time in eight years the city garage has been destroyed by a fire. On Nov. 15, 1988, a fire razed the old city public works garage, a few blocks away from its current location at 200 3rd St. The first fire happened in the afternoon and much of the equipment was saved.

"There was a lot of fueled equipment in there, gas and diesel for the trucks," said Wilmington Fire Chief Randy Block. "There were gas cylinders and acetylene for gas cutting."

The garage recently had been inventoried, but the list was in the building and destroyed in the fire.

A van was valued at $1,000, but it was fully stocked with tools. Other items lost were three dump trucks, three older pickup trucks, a $75,600 street sweeper, a $39,000 six-wheeler and two backhoes valued at about $85,000.

There also was damage to items such as truck conveyors, snowplows, compactors, gas detectors, mosquito foggers and sewer jets, which the city uses to unclog debris in sewers.

Maureen Mack, Wilmington's insurance and payroll representative, said the building was valued at $260,000.

On Thursday, nothing remained but charred tractors, burnt truck parts, tires and one remarkably sturdy soda pop machine. The air smelled of burned rubber, and mounds of ash were still smoldering.

Another building, owned by Joe VanDuyne of Wilmington, also suffered damage. A dentistry, a hair and tanning salon, and an insurance office were destroyed; a furniture store and an electronics store were damaged.

"You get such a sick feeling when you can't do anything," said salon owner Linda Robertson, who watched the building burn last night. "My own loss is probably around $200,000."

Fourteen other fire departments from nearby towns, including Joliet, Morris, Manteno, Braidwood and New Lenox, were called to the scene to help, and firefighters got the blaze under control about 2:30 a.m.

The city has two other small garages at the water plant and landfill, and Hill estimated they hold 3 percent to 5 percent of the total equipment.